by Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports

Amid much speculation about Bylsma's future after the Pittsburgh Penguins were swept in the Eastern Conference finals, general manager Ray Shero announced Wednesday that the coach was getting a two-year contract extension through 2015-16. The contracts of top assistants Tony Granato and Todd Reirden also were extended.

"I really believe we have a great head coach in Dan Bylsma," Shero said during a news conference. "I believe he's the coach to lead us forward. I have faith in his ability as a coach to get better as he moves forward."

Next season would have been the last year of the coaching staff's contracts.

Shero noted that the Penguins history has not been kind to coaches and that public sentiment is usually to change a coach after a loss.

"It's important to me to make a statement that I believe in our coaching staff," he said.

Shero also announced that goaltending coach Gilles Meloche was stepping down after 27 years in that position to take a job as a special assignment scout.

Bylsma won a Stanley Cup in his first year with the Penguins in 2009 and was also coach of the year in 2010-11. This year, he led the Penguins to the top record in the Eastern Conference despite a host of injuries, including the loss of captain Sidney Crosby for the final 12 games with a broken jaw.

Expectations for a Stanley Cup were high after the team acquired Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Jussi Jokinen and Douglas Murray at the trade deadline and they got through the first two round (after changing goaltenders in Game 5 against the New York Islanders). But they were held to two goals in a four-game loss to the Boston Bruins.

"I'm not sure if anyone could imagine our team being shut down the way it was offensively," Shero said. "Credit to the Boston Bruins and their goaltender."

Bylsma said he had tried to tune out the buzz in Pittsburgh about his job security, though he heard about it through texts from his brothers, who live outside the area, and from his son, who was listening to the radio.

"The confidence of Ray Shero (and owners) Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux that I am the coach of this team now and going forward was very big for us," Bylsma said in a follow-up news conference.

Shero also gave a vote of confidence to goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who was replaced in the first round and was ineffective in a mop-up role in Game 2 of the last round.

"I'm not getting rid of Marc-Andre Fleury," he said. "I had that conversation with him, provided that Marc wants to be part of it here and come back."

He said he had asked Fleury to work on some things during the summer and noted that he'll have a new goalie coach next season. He has faith that Fleury will be able to shake off his recent playoff struggles.

"It's difficult to replace 40 wins a year for Marc-Andre Fleury," Shero said. "I don't believe I can go out and get someone like that."